Buyer, Electronics, Interconnect & General Procurement

Job description

### Role Overview This role owns sourcing for the electronics and interconnect category — wire harnesses, connectors, PCBs, PCBAs, and electrical components — while carrying a full tactical procurement load across direct and indirect categories as OW scales from first launch toward multi-program production. It is a **both-hands role**: one hand builds multi-month category strategies, coordinates FAI campaigns, and presents sourcing recommendations to engineering, finance, and leadership; the other runs the daily PO rhythm — requisitions to purchase orders, expediting, frame agreements and blanket orders, indirect buys, and tight coordination with production and material planners. Honest split: roughly **60–70% tactical execution, 30–40% category building**, flexing with launch campaigns and program tempo. The person who succeeds treats no task as beneath them — presenting a category strategy one week, helping close a cycle count or untangle a NetSuite reconciliation the next. Works most closely with: the peer buyer (mechanical), material & production planners, Engineering/D2M, Quality, and Finance. ### Responsibilities Overview - Own sourcing activities for electronics and interconnect categories, including wire harnesses, connectors, PCBs, PCBAs, and electrical components. - Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers through RFQs, commercial negotiations, supplier selection, and contract awards. - Develop and maintain the sourcing strategy for assigned categories, including supply base mapping, dual-source planning, localization opportunities, cost optimization, and lead-time reduction. - Present category strategies and sourcing recommendations to Engineering, Quality, Finance, and leadership stakeholders. - Partner with Engineering and Design-to-Manufacturing (D2M) teams on component selection, approved alternates, obsolescence management, and design-for-sourcing improvements. - Coordinate First Article Inspection (FAI) activities with Engineering and Quality to support successful supplier qualification. - Lead supplier qualification activities in accordance with the Orbitworks Approved Supplier List (ASL) process. - Support the development of local UAE suppliers in line with localization and In-Country Value (ICV) objectives. - Manage the full purchase order lifecycle in NetSuite, including requisition review, PO creation, technical and quality flow-down, supplier acknowledgements, expediting, and delivery tracking. - Procure indirect goods and services, including marketing, communications, office services, facilities, and operational consumables. - Establish and manage procurement automation mechanisms such as blanket purchase orders, purchase contracts, framework agreements, Not-to-Exceed (NTE) POs, and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) arrangements. - Work closely with Production and Material Planning to align procurement activities with the master production schedule and proactively mitigate shortages and long-lead risks. - Resolve supplier delivery, quality, and commercial issues while maintaining an accurate discrepancy tracker. - Maintain accurate, compliant, and audit-ready procurement records within NetSuite to support AS9100 requirements. - Collaborate with the wider Supply Chain Management (SCM) buying team by providing category coverage and workload support as required. - Support broader SCM operations, including inventory cycle counts, logistics coordination, receiving activities, and NetSuite reconciliations when needed. - Drive continuous improvement initiatives across SCM by developing standardized templates, improving procurement processes, and reinforcing NetSuite data discipline. ### Must-Have Skills (Requirements) - 3–6 years of procurement experience in manufacturing or industrial environments, including hands-on tactical buying, purchase order management, expediting, and supplier follow-up. - Proven ability to manage high-volume tactical procurement activities while balancing strategic sourcing responsibilities. - Experience sourcing electronics, PCB/PCBA, cable and wire harnesses, connectors, electro-mechanical components, or the technical aptitude to rapidly develop expertise in these categories. - Ability to engage confidently with both suppliers and engineering teams on technical sourcing decisions. - Experience within aerospace, defense, space, or another highly regulated industry. - Working knowledge of AS9100, AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI), counterfeit-part prevention, Certificates of Conformance (CoC), and material traceability requirements. - Ability to interpret engineering drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), specifications, and other technical documentation. - Experience collaborating closely with Engineering and Design-to-Manufacturing (D2M) teams on component selection, approved alternates, and obsolescence management. - Experience establishing and managing procurement contract mechanisms, including blanket purchase orders, purchase contracts, and framework agreements. - Understanding of procurement automation and continuous improvement initiatives to streamline repeat purchasing activities. - Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to develop sourcing recommendations and present them to technical, commercial, and leadership stakeholders. - Experience developing and presenting category strategies to cross-functional teams. - Proficiency with ERP systems, preferably NetSuite, for procurement and supplier management. - Experience working with global suppliers across multiple time zones. - UAE-based with valid residency and work authorization. - Ability to work effectively in a full-time, on-site environment. ### Nice-to-Have Skills - Experience managing both direct and indirect procurement categories, including services, facilities, office operations, and marketing spend. - Previous experience in a startup, scale-up, or new manufacturing facility where procurement processes and systems were being established. - Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced, evolving environments with a proactive, process-improvement mindset. - Experience building, standardizing, and improving procurement processes and operational workflows.